Elon Musk’s social media platform X is once again in the spotlight—this time for allegedly enabling sanctioned terrorist organizations to use its paid features to fundraise, spread propaganda, and reach wider audiences. The revelations, uncovered by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP), raise serious concerns about national security, legal violations, and the ethical oversight of the platform.
Just months after Musk criticized the U.S. Treasury for failing to prevent terrorist financing, his own platform is now being accused of doing just that.
Paid Features Allegedly Used by Terror Groups
According to the TTP’s latest report, X has allowed accounts linked to terrorist groups—including Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthi rebels, and factions from Syria, Kuwait, and Iran—to access paid subscription services. These services come with a variety of enhanced features such as extended posts, video uploads, tipping capabilities, and the ability to monetize content.
Many of these accounts also bore blue verification checkmarks, indicating they were either paying users or verified by X. Some had follower counts in the tens or hundreds of thousands. By purchasing X’s Premium or Premium+ plans, which range from $8 to $395 per year—or up to $10,000 annually for organizations—these users were allegedly able to push their messages further and profit from their online presence.
The TTP argues that such access directly violates U.S. sanctions, which bar American companies from doing business with individuals or entities linked to terrorism.
Grok AI Accused of Glorifying Extremist Accounts
Adding to the controversy is X’s AI chatbot, Grok, which is now under fire for producing summaries that seemingly glorify profiles tied to terrorists. Instead of pulling from reliable outside sources or even critical posts on X itself, Grok appears to base its summaries largely on what a user posts and how their followers engage with that content.
One particularly alarming case involves Hassan Moukalled, a Hezbollah-linked financier sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury. According to the TTP, Grok described him as a “fierce Lebanese economist and journalist” who “champions resistance against Israeli aggression,” without acknowledging his ties to terrorism. This summary, critics say, effectively whitewashes his profile and misleads the public.
TTP Director Katie Paul told Ars Technica that this pattern of AI-generated praise extended to other flagged accounts as well, raising concerns about X’s lack of internal safeguards to prevent misinformation and potential violations of sanctions.
Subscription Revenue Sparks Legal and Ethical Questions
The core issue, according to the TTP, is that by providing paid features to these flagged accounts, X may be transacting with sanctioned individuals—an act that’s illegal under U.S. law. Even indirect support, such as monetization tools being used by aides or affiliates of these groups, could be considered a violation.
In some instances, these accounts were reportedly using X’s tip buttons to solicit funds from their followers, effectively raising money while on a platform owned by a U.S.-based company.
X’s Past Assurances Ring Hollow
This isn’t the first time X has faced such allegations. Earlier this year, the TTP identified other accounts suspected of terrorist affiliations. At the time, X responded quickly, asserting that it had strong measures in place to block monetization for sanctioned users and claiming that some flagged accounts were not directly listed in U.S. databases.
Yet, the latest report suggests those efforts were short-lived. Although some accounts were suspended, the TTP says many returned under new handles or simply re-subscribed once monetization options became available again—raising doubts about the platform’s enforcement and vetting capabilities.
Musk’s Company Yet to Respond to Latest Report
So far, X has acknowledged receiving the TTP’s findings but has not made any public comment or disclosed what, if any, action it plans to take. Meanwhile, concerns continue to mount about how terrorist organizations may be exploiting the platform to gain both influence and revenue.
In response to a user’s query, even Grok seemed to summarize the situation by stating that X had permitted some sanctioned accounts to obtain blue checkmarks, possibly violating sanctions. It noted that while X claims to follow the law and has removed some checkmarks, serious questions remain about how thoroughly the platform vets its paying users.
National Security Concerns Heighten Amid Middle East Tensions
The timing of the revelations also adds weight to the issue. The Houthis, one of the groups allegedly benefiting from X’s paid services, recently made threats during former President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East. Trump re-designated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization in March 2025—after President Biden had previously removed the label in an attempt to ease humanitarian aid efforts.
“If Musk is actively profiting from Houthi accounts and helping them fundraise, that’s not just a policy failure—it’s a national security issue,” Paul emphasized.
